Supervisor Brown seeks to raise affordability on two Divisadero pipeline projects to 20%

Supervisor Brown introduced an ordinance on Oct. 22 to apply additional affordable housing requirements to sites that gained development potential through neighborhood-commercial-transit (NCT) rezoning. She said the Fillmore NCT was removed from the current proposal because Planning's economic feasibility study found increased on-site affordability there was not financially feasible. For two pipeline Divisadero projects, she proposed increasing on-site affordable requirements to 20% (from 13.5% for 650 Divisadero and from 18% for 400 Divisadero) and setting an AMI mix largely targeted to lower tiers (a 12/4/4 split emphasized at 55% AMI for the lion's share).

"We're proposing to raise the affordable affordability requirement for the 2 pipeline projects to 20%," Brown said, adding the mix should serve working families and neighborhood residents. Planning staff explained differences in prior zoning limits that produced more upzoning on Divisadero than on Fillmore and said the Comptroller's feasibility work drove the Fillmore decision.

Public testimony included support from neighborhood and housing advocates who called the change dramatic and necessary to secure affordable units in places with newly unlocked development capacity; other community members asked for more time to review details and expressed concern about process and outreach. Several speakers urged that Fillmore not be omitted permanently or that other mechanisms recapture value created by rezoning.

Supervisor Brown asked to continue for legal and technical work and indicated she would return with amendments and timeline adjustments; the committee agreed to continue the item to Nov. 5 for additional work and to ensure community engagement.